Teenage boy in serious condition after falling from cliffs

David Sedgwick

A teenage boy is in a serious condition in hospital after falling off a cliff.

Emergency teams were called to cliffs at Browns Bay in Cullercoats at 5.25pm today (Thursday).

A 13-year-old boy had fallen off a ledge on the cliff edge, falling more than 20ft to the sea wall.

A group of teenagers had raised the alarm, with a Tynemouth Volunteer Life Brigade member first on scene to give immediate first aid and stablise the casualty.

Paramedics and doctors treated the teenager on site before he was air lifted to the RVI in Newcastle with serious head injuries.

Crews from RNLI lifeguards and Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue service were also involved.

A spokesperson for the TVLB said: “The casualty, who was critically ill, was placed on a Brigade stretcher and carried off the sea wall and to the Air Ambulance which had landed in a private garden on the cliff top at Marconi Point.

“The casualty was believed to have fallen while trying to climb from the sea wall onto the cliff top of Marconi Point.”

A police spokesperson said: “Officers attended the scene and assisted fellow emergency services in a rescue operation, which involved the boy being taken to hospital for medical attention.

“The boy’s family have been informed and investigations into the circumstances of the incident remain on-going.

“Officers would like to remind the public to take extra care and be aware of the risks and dangers the coastline can present.”

While dealing with the incident, lifeguards pulled an unconscious person from the water at the south end of Cullercoats Bay, and they were airlifted to hospital by the Coastguard Helicopter.

The TVLB spokesperson added: “To have two separate major incidents occur within the space of 30 minutes and within around a quarter of a mile of each other is a very rare event and Brigade members worked in an extremely professional and skilled manner to deal with the challenges they faced.”